Bougie on the Bottom Shelf

It's probably no secret by now that I enjoy relaxing after a chaotic day with the kids with a nice, refreshing, glass of Mommy Juice.  As a self-proclaimed connoisseur of the bottom shelf, I have found some nice wine options that taste good and don't break the bank!  I am definitely no sommelier, but there are plenty of great reviews about the best wines, pairings, etc. You know what there isn't a lot of? Reviews of the bottom shelf.  Reviews for the budgeted moms scanning the bottom shelf while some one screams in the cart about candy and another child watches some other kids playing with toys on YouTube as you frantically get the shopping done praying your daughter doesn't lick the cart this trip, then you, my friend, have found the review for you.

Here's the thing about wine.  It doesn't have to be expensive to taste good, to get you a little happy buzz, or to be enjoyed.  If you need a wine that pairs with tantrums and Goldfish, welcome.  If you need a wine that pairs with "I should be vacuuming, but meh" welcome.  If you need a wine that goes with "the dog shit on the floor again," welcome.  If you are simply looking to try some different wines to find your taste, while keeping it under $10 a bottle check it out! Some may be amazing...some might be down right nasty...what will the weekly Bougie on the Bottom Shelf reveal?  So, without further ado, what am I drinking tonight?!

This week's selection: Barefoot Rose.

Barefoot cellars describes this wine as "a refreshing wine with aromas of ripe raspberries and juicy watermelon.  Flavors of cherries and sweet citrus compliment the smooth, crisp finish."  It is delightfully sweet according to the label, and is a California rose sporting 10% alcohol per volume (winner, winner, chicken dinner!).

That's great and all, but here's my mediocre review of this under $10 wine.  It definitely fits in that sweet category, without being overpoweringly sweet or super "sugary."  It was a nice, smooth rose.  I definitely got the raspberry notes the maker talked about as well as the citrus and cherry finish.  I didn't really pick up on anything watermelon-y, but that may have helped cut some bitterness that can sometimes be associated with raspberry anything.  I chose to drink it room temperature tonight, and it was nice that way, but is also a good chilled wine as well.  The mom pairing recommendation is that this wine pairs very well with "my kid needed 10 snacks and 30 gallons of water before bed" and leftover, cold nuggets remnants that looked too good to waste, and "can Sandra Bullock come teach my kids how to be quiet for longer than 2 seconds?"  While drinking this wine, I feel happy, calmed from a hectic day, and relaxed for bedtime!

Bottom Shelf Steal or Cheapo fail? Bottom Shelf Steal!  This is a lovely Rose for those who enjoy a lighter, fruitier, sweet wine without the overpowering sweetness.  A great wine to buy in the large bottle and share with friends, or, ya know, enjoy during a Netflix binge.. Try it out and let me know your thoughts!

Disclaimer: I am by no means a professional sommelier, just a mom who likes to try new wines and is frugal while doing it.  I did not receive any compensation for this review; it is my real, fun, take on a product I purchased and tried at my own discretion for no compensation.

Always drink responsibly.    

Eat MO!

We are food people.  Now that our kids are self proclaimed chicken nugget connoisseurs, we have so much more freedom to go try all of the family owned restaurants we have been eyeing since moving to South-Central Missouri!  It's not that we don't like chain restaurants, but Applebee's is Applebee's pretty much across the board.  Sure, a good chef makes a big difference, but the menu is the same no matter which one you visit.  Trust us on this one, our son is probably Applebee's biggest fan and we frequent the ones in our area way more than I would like to admit.  Thank God there are cocktails.

As our time here winds down to just one more year (give or take, let's be honest it's the army so...), we have challenged our family to take our "Selfie Sunday" (what my husband aptly named the day I don't cook and we fend for ourselves in the food department) up a notch and knock a TON of local eats off the bucket list! The truth is, we get stuck in what's familiar.  Chains are familiar.  But where is the excitement in that?  Discovering the flavor of any place is part of the fun!  There are so many one-of-a-kind eateries in Missouri and they are all so worth it.  Follow us every Sunday as I highlight where we will be dining as a family!

Feel good, family food is what we are all about.  Be sure to watch for our restaurant reviews each week!  This isn't your run of the mill review--of course it will have a Mediocre Mommy spin!  We will give you the skinny (or....maybe not so skinny? yea, I'm going to need to hit the gym a lot more) on the food, price, and atmosphere of each location we chose to Eat MO this year!  There will also be a "nugget report" from our resident picky eater, who will give me some kids menu insights.  He's a pretty cut throat critic--Gordon Ramsey doesn't have anything on him! Have a suggestion? Tell us! Where is the "place to go" in your MO hometown? We want to go there! We want to try ALL OF THE FOODS!  I am so excited to Eat MO, Eat sooooo much MO this year!